Planning and Completing Building Work: A Guide
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Two tips for people who want to stay in their home whilst they are having an extension added on to it
4 May 2018

If you would prefer to stay in your home whilst an extension is being added on to it, here are a couple of tips that you might find useful.

Protect yourself from airborne dust

The construction of home extensions always results in lots of dust being flung into the air. This dust is generated by the tearing down of plaster walls, the sawing of timber and the preparation and mixing of concrete.

Constant exposure to this dust could potentially lead to both short- and long-term health issues. For example, if the airborne dust gets into your eyes, you could end up experiencing redness, irritation and blurred vision.

If you (or one of your other household members) suffer from asthma, emphysema or any other type of chronic lung condition, and you inhale a lot of the dust produced by the extension building process, you could find it harder to breathe deeply and may experience frequent coughing fits.

Inhalation of dust that contains silica (such as plaster or concrete dust) could also lead to a serious lung disease known as silicosis.

As such, if you're determined to live in your home whilst the extension is being constructed, it is important to take steps to minimise your exposure to the dust that the construction process will generate.

One way to do this is to purchase a large, wide roll of thick plastic sheeting and use this (along with some duct tape) to seal off the area of your house onto which the extension is being added. This will prevent airborne dust from floating towards the other rooms of your home.

Additionally, you may want to keep a large extractor fan running in the area where the construction work is being performed so that most of the dust is pulled away from your home.

Purchase a few essential items in advance

If the extension project will involve the creation of an additional bathroom, kitchen or utility room, your contractor will probably ask you to keep your property's water supply switched off for the duration of the building process so that they can install the plumbing pipes without flooding your home.

This will mean that you will not have access to your toilet, shower or sinks. It's absolutely essential to ensure that you are prepared for this eventuality.

The best way to do this is to hire at least one portaloo (or two, if there are lots of people living in your home) and stock up on several litres of bottled water.

Additionally, you may need to either bathe at a friend's house or alternatively, use the showers at your public swimming pool or gym.

About Me

Having building work carried out on the building you use to run a business can be very stressful. However, it doesn't need to be this way. By working closely with the contractors, you can ensure that they follow the designs and plans and that they only use the highest quality materials. When I had to call in a team of contractors to work on my office block, I was super worried. However, the team of construction guys were really great and they actually took the time to explain exactly what they were doing and why. I hope this blog is helpful.

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